The category-based shipping volume of synthetic rubber for January to March increased to 434,413 tons, up 4.4 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to the Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association (JRMA). Following the July–September and October–December quarters, this marks a year-on-year growth in volume for the third straight term in a row. Domestic shipping volume grew by 2.3...
synthetic rubber
Synthetic Rubber Shipments Increase 0.9% in 2016
The Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association (JRMA) has released its synthetic rubber shipment figures for calendar 2016, revealing a small year-on-year increase of 0.9 percent at a total of 1,647,408 tons. The annual shipment figures totaled at 867,364 tons domestically, an increase of 2.5 percent from last year, and 540,814 tons internationally, an increase of 3.7 percent. Chloroprene rubber and isobutylene-isoprene...
Prices Trending High for Natural Rubber, Synthetic Rubber
Natural rubber (NR) continues to trend at high price levels, currently running at around double those of early 2016. A steep run-up has come in a short period of time, spiking since last autumn. The high prices are set to strongly impact profit margins of rubber product manufacturers. Most notable are tire manufacturers, who make heavy use of NR. Current...
JSR Hikes Prices on Synthetic Rubber and Emulsion Products
JSR Corp. (TYO:4185) has raised its prices on synthetic rubber and emulsion products, starting with deliveries from Feb. 1. The company says that the hikes are in response to increased prices of raw materials in domestic naphtha. These come on the back of a weakening yen and the high price of crude oil, along with skyrocketing butadiene prices since last...
Escalating Butadiene Prices to Place Significant Pressure on Synthetic Rubber Manufacturers
The price of butadiene is increasing dramatically. After trending for some time at an Asian spot price near $1,000 per ton, the synthetic rubber raw material started on a rapidly ascending curve in autumn last year. It has resulted in a tripling in value, jumping to approximately $3,000 per ton. The sharp gain in butadiene will have a strong impact...
JRMA Forecast: Japanese Rubber Consumption to Bounce Back After Six Years
Rubber consumption will see its first annual increase in six years, according to a forecast by the Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association (JRMA). Combined total consumption of natural and synthetic rubber in 2017 is expected to reach 1.2932 million tons, up 0.6 percent year on year. However, total rubber consumption in 2016 is expected to fall for the fifth straight year,...